The Orioles are undefeated in the Colton Cowser era
Hello, friends.
The Orioles! Things have been awfully glum around here for the last week, but for yesterday at least, that gloominess was pushed away with the O’s having a fun debut game for Colton Cowser. The 6-3 victory over the Yankees on Wednesday night saw Cowser on base twice, collecting his first hit, walk, and RBI in the majors. Check out Stacey’s recap of the game for the lovely totals.
The win yesterday was the 50th Orioles victory of the season. 50 wins in 85 games! Last year, they picked up win #50 in their 99th game, and two years ago, they didn’t win their 50th until game #155. Progress has happened rapidly, though it’s understandable if you’ve not felt that progress quite as often over the last three weeks. The Orioles are 8-11 over their last 19 games.
It’s going to take more than one fun game to fully dispel the negativity. It does feel like we could be in line for some fun now that Cowser has joined his buddy from the minors, Jordan Westburg, on the Orioles. The two were interviewed jointly after the game on MASN yesterday and they had real “mismatched buddy cop” energy going on. It was funny to watch Cowser trying to crack up the usually taciturn Westburg. I mean, just look at these guys:
Got it done in the Bronx. pic.twitter.com/nYKk26l9HP — Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) July 6, 2023
Yesterday’s Orioles lineup included four players who have been drafted by Mike Elias: Cowser, Westburg, Adley Rutschman, and Gunnar Henderson. We’ve been waiting for it for years and the youth movement is finally really bursting onto the team. There are no more imminent prospect debuts - as far as I can guess - to come for the remainder of this season.
Perhaps we can get a revived Grayson Rodriguez returning to the team. He racked up 12 strikeouts in six shutout innings two days ago and has gotten 10+ three times in his last five starts. Over that same stretch, Rodriguez has walked a combined seven batters. You could get carried away and think maybe he should be back after the All-Star break.
By beating the Yankees, the Orioles pulled themselves back up to three games ahead of New York for the top AL wild card spot, and also second place in the AL East. The Rays were losers on Wednesday, so the O’s gain a game there as well and are now five games back. Pretty good! The Orioles are on pace to win 95 games over a full season. I think that if they end up there, we will be plenty happy with how the regular season turns out, and then the playoffs will be whatever happens there.
It will be a lot easier to have some happiness set in if the Orioles are able to grab a win in the series finale against the Yankees tonight, salvaging a split of the four-game set after a couple of downer losses in the first two. Kyle Bradish starts for the Orioles, looking to add a nice July to go with his solid May and June as well. Luis Severino, who is sporting a 6.30 ERA in eight starts this year, makes the start for New York. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.
Around the blogO’sphere
Cowser “feeling back to normal” after joining close friends in Orioles clubhouse (School of Roch)
If the Orioles end up turning this ship around, we’re going to get a whole lot of clubhouse chemistry stories about these guys and I’m going to enjoy every one of them.
Inside the meeting that transformed Coby Mayo into the minors’ hottest power hitter (The Baltimore Banner)
Now that Cowser is here, Coby Mayo might be the next most exciting debut to come - though it probably won’t be this year, and we’ll have to cross our fingers he’s not given up in a trade within the next month.
Return to New York emphasizes Aaron Hicks’ appreciation for ‘change of scenery’ with Orioles (The Baltimore Sun)
I’m happy that Hicks hit a home run on Tuesday to stick it to these stinkers.
Everything Orioles fans need to know about the 2023 MLB Draft (Orioles.com)
Everything except who the Orioles are going to take, anyway, but nobody knows that yet, not even the Orioles.
Orioles trying to strike a balance about possible umpiring changes (Baltimore Baseball)
I’m ready for the automated strike zone.
Birthdays and Orioles anniversaries
There are a few former Orioles who were born on this day. They are: 2012-18 infielder Manny Machado, Maryland-born 1959-62 reserve Barry Shetrone, and 1954 ten-gamer Frank Kellert.
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! Your birthday buddies for today include: early American naval commander John Paul Jones (1747), artist Frida Kahlo (1907), Wheel of Fortune/Jeopardy creator Merv Griffin (1925), actor Sylvester Stallone (1946), and rapper 50 Cent (1975).
On this day in history...
In 640, an army of the Byzantine Empire fought Muslim Arabs in the Battle of Heliopolis in modern day Egypt. The Arabs were victorious in the battle, which ended Byzantine rule in Egypt and paved the way for later conquest farther west along North Africa.
In 1779, the French Navy fought off an attack by their British counterparts at Grenada, preserving their control of the captured island. The engagement, part of the American Revolutionary War, did not lead to any further fighting in the area.
In 1933, the first ever MLB All-Star Game was played. It was an AL victory over the NL, 4-2, hosted at Comiskey Park in Chicago.
In 1957, future members of The Beatles John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time.
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And that’s the way it is in Birdland on July 6. Have a safe Thursday. Go O’s!
Source: Camden Chat
